I Hear The Bullet
by Lollipop456
Summary: When Josh accidentally shoots and fatally wounds Drake. Josh begins having horrible nightmares about guilt and remorse. Drake struggles to forgive Josh.
1. Chapter 1

Drake and Josh were packing for a camping trip with their school, Drake was carrying a checklist.

"Bug spray?" Drake asked.

Josh grabbed a can of Bug-Now-Gone insect repellent

"Bug spray!" Josh cried

"Um...Water bottles?" Drake asked

Josh held up two water bottles in each hand

"Water bottles." Josh repeated

"Mouth spray?" Drake asked.

"Mou-Wait what do you need that for?" Josh asked curiously

"Just for good ol' nature." Drake smiled coyly

"Okay, thanks for that!" Josh said sarcastically

Josh began to pack his duffel bag he snapped his fingers

"Darn, my toothbrush!" Josh mumbled

"Who brings a toothbrush to the woods?" Drake asked

"Someone who aids their dental hygiene." Josh said in a low defensive voice

Josh raced off to the bathroom, Drake suddenly remembered something himself.

"Josh, did you pack my swim trunks?" Drake yelled

"Uh yeah, check in the duffy!" Josh yelled back

Drake rolled his eyes and went over to the duffel bag, he tripped over a study book and sent the duffel bag flying through the air and onto the floor. Everything spilt out. Drake began picking the stuff up when he found something very intresting...a gun! An actual hand-held pistol. Josh came back into the room,a toothbrush in hand.

"What's wrong?" Josh asked.

"Nothing, expect the fact that we have a gun!" Drake cried

"Oh that? It's nothing...One of the guys at school loaned it to me so I could scare off bears and wilderbeasts, no big deal." Josh explained

"It will be a big deal. Mom and Dad ALWAYS check our duffels to make sure everything is packed." Drake reminded

"It's just to scare animals. Besides it's not even loaded." Josh cocked the gun and held it right near Drake's stomach

"See?" Josh pulled the pistol...

BAM!

Drake gasped for a breath, he suddenly fell to the ground. Josh threw the gun to the side and ran over to Drake.

"You're bleeding!" Josh said with his mouth agape.

"You'd think?!" Drake asked in panic.

"Oh..." Josh whimpered.

Audrey and Walter were downstairs in the kitchen when they heard the sound of the gun, they ran upstairs and found Drake slumped on the floor; blood beginning to leak into the rug.

"Oh, my poor baby!" Audrey cried as she knelt by Drake

"Josh, what happened?" Walter asked furiously as he joined Audrey.

"I-I don't know! I just was showing him that the gun wasn't loaded and-"

"Gun? What gun?" Audrey asked.

"Some guy at school gave me a gun for the trip. And I was just showing Drake that it wasn't loaded." Josh explained nervously

"Some guy?" Walter repeated

"Um, guys...Dying boy on rug, remember me?" Drake winced

"Think you can move at all?" Walter asked

"I don't think so." Drake moaned

"Okay, put your arm around my neck." Walter ordered

"Walter, you can't carry him with your bad back." Audrey scolded.

"I got him." Walter assured as he lifted Drake off the floor.

Josh watched on as his dad carried Drake downstairs and placed him on the couch.

"Josh, call the hospital." Audrey demmanded

"Right away." Josh said softly as he picked up the phone.

Josh could hardly talk to the paramedics, his mind was focused on Drake's moaning and groaning and bleeding. As he told the paramedics the address, he took notice that Drake was squeezing Walter's hand. He then told the paramedics the situation and hung up.

"If I die, Josh...I'll make sure you don't attend my eulogy." Drake said in a solemn voice.


	2. Critical

The paramedics arrived at the hospital and carried Drake to the nearest hospital in an ambulance, by the time they got there he had lost at least an ounce of blood and was in critical condition. Audrey wasn't even allowed to kiss her son goodbye as they rushed Drake into surgery, Josh knew he was in for a lecture.

"Josh, how could you bring a gun into the house?" Audrey asked.

"I...I don't know. With the bears, and the bullets, and the scary monsters!" Josh panicked.

"Hey, if Drake dies then can I have his bed?" Megan asked.

"He won't die and NO you cannot have his bed." Walter said solemnly.

Audrey led Megan over to a seat and sat her down, Walter sighed and led Josh into the hallway.

"Dad, I didn't mean to. I didn't think it was loaded." Josh apologized.

"That's the thing, Josh! You didn't think." Walter remarked.

"I'm sorry." Josh apologized again.

"Maybe I'm not the one who you need to apologize to."

The family waited anxiously for several hours, a doctor finally came out and nodded.

"Thank god." Audrey sighed.

"Now, he's still listed in critical condition. He had lost alot of blood and the bullet was inches away from his spinal cord. Had he not arrived when he did, Drake would've died." The doctor explained.

There was silence for a moment...

"Can we see him?" Walter asked.

"Of course. The nurse will give you his room number." The doctor stated.

The family headed for Drake's room, all Josh hoped was that Drake was willing to forgive him.


	3. Forgiveness

When the family got to Drake's room, he was resting comfortably in bed. He had an IV in his right hand, and all sorts of other machines hooked up to him, his shirt was off and his stomach was bandaged, either to stop the bleeding or to cover the scars left from surgery. Josh was a bit frightened to see a breathing tube lined up along Drake's face, but Drake was smiling and seemed to be the seem ol' Drake.

"Hey guys." Drake moaned.

Audrey kissed Drake on the forehead, followed by Walter. Megan gave him a hug, despite her teasing him in the past. Josh just gave a simple wave, Drake shrugged.

"How do you feel, honey?" Audrey asked.

"A little sore." Drake winced.

"The doctor said you are a very lucky man." Walter stated.

"Why am I hooked up to a breathing machine?" Drake asked.

"You're still in critical condition, baby." Audrey explained briefly.

"Hey guys, can I talk to Drake alone?" Josh asked.

"Um...guys. How about we get something from the vending machine?" Walter suggested.

With that, Audrey and Walter and Megan left the room. Drake turned his head toward the window, Josh placed his hands in his pockets and moved closer to the bed.

"I'm sorry, man." Josh apologized.

"Josh, you shot me in my stomach. I think it's going to take more than nine hours for me to forgive you for that." Drake stated.

"What do you want me to say? That I tried to kill you on purpose and I'll go to jail for it intentionally?" Josh asked.

"Uh...yeah." Drake nodded.

"C'mon Drake. You know I didn't mean it." Josh cried.

"I'm getting tired. Hit the lights on your way out." Drake ordered.

With that, Drake closed his eyes and sank under the covers. Josh sighed and left the room, turning off the lights on his way out.


End file.
